Bath County Now Only Has One Post Office Being Considered For Closure – The One In Bacova.

Bacova, VA – Bath County now only has one post office being considered for closure – the one in Bacova; the Williamsville PO is no longer on the list. Bath County Supervisor Jon Trees announced that news Thursday night at a community meeting about the possible closure of the Bacova Post Office. Supervisor Trees said the Postal Service’s Mountain Region Manager, Sonny Cubbage, said he had received notice that Williamsville had been taken off the chopping block. Williamsville was taken off the list for possible closure, because it has a ten year lease in place.

Supervisor Trees said the Bath Board of Supervisors will take action on behalf of the Bacova Post Office to try to keep it open. He said the county will send letters to Congressman Bob Goodlatte, the postal service and other representatives. Supervisor Trees told residents that all their concerns will be included in the county’s letters.

Supervisor Trees organized Thursday night’s meeting to talk with Bacova residents because the Postal Service’s community meeting a couple of weeks ago was held in the middle of the afternoon, which prevented many people from attending. About ten people came out for Thursday night’s meeting at the Hot Springs Fire Department. David Powell was there Thursday night; he lives about a block from the Post Office in Bacova.

“I thought it was good,” says Powell. “I wish more people would have shown up. I know everybody’s concerned. And I would just like to see the Post Office remain there, mainly because of it being a center where we all meet. It’s the only place we meet. There’s no restaurant, there’s no general store. It’s a beautiful little town, I’d like to preserve it the way it is. And it’s also a convenience.”

“I hope the letter that I mentioned gets put together and sent to the appropriate people. And then just educating people in Bacova as to what we could do to increase revenues for the Post Office, maybe cut some of the costs, to keep it alive. Because I think that’s the bottom line. And we do maintain it and I think that’s unknown and so hopefully that will be mentioned in the letter we put together.”

Those at the meeting discussed a number of things to be included in the county’s correspondence. They said closing the Post Office would be a disservice to about 100 people. And there was a question if mail boxes at homes are allowed in the village of Bacova. There is concern that there’s not enough space for mail boxes because the road is too narrow.

One resident said she was told twenty years ago that you could not have a mailbox in Bacova. Others said they found the hours at the Bacova post office more convenient. Residents also said the Post Office is a location used for yard sales and community events. And Bacova owns the Post Office building and the Postal Service’s rent is used to pay for mowing and maintenance in Bacova.

Supervisor Trees said the Postal Service’s public comment period is still open. After a decision is made, there will be a thirty day appeal period and the final decision will be made around the first of the year.

Postal Service comment forms are available at the Bacova Post Office.